(Motorsport-Total.com) – Ferrari ends the first Friday in Madrid with pragmatic optimism, but also aware that this weekend a lot will be decided in qualifying – precisely the discipline in which they have struggled the most this season when it comes to delivering that one perfect fast lap.
Read more Kart racing against 100 drivers: Max Verstappen is not preparing
It is no secret that the SF-26 is more effective over race distance than on a single flying lap, which is why something special will be needed on Saturday.
But aside from the challenge of getting the tires up to temperature – which some teams certainly struggled with – another aspect plays a significant role: understanding how the grip level will develop over the coming days.
Due to the characteristics of the street circuit, the surface will continuously provide more grip. Predicting this will be the trickiest task, as the way drivers approach the corners directly affects energy release.
Basically, Madrid does not place extreme demands on energy management, but taking a corner flat out or lifting slightly can fundamentally change battery usage and cause imbalances over the rest of the lap.
That is why Friday’s data is so valuable – not only to verify simulations from the factory but also to design accurate scenarios for Saturday.
Ferrari strong in the first sector
On Friday, Ferrari showed a car that was very competitive in top speed in the first sector – a clear sign that more energy was used in this section than by the competition.
On the two acceleration sections at the start of the lap, the red car had an advantage of around five km/h over Mercedes, while the Silver Arrows were stronger in the second section of the track. It is therefore no surprise that Mercedes held the best time in the last sector.
These are exactly the adjustments to weigh up with a view to qualifying, as Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur emphasizes: “I think the best setup is the one we will use in qualifying, not in free practice.”
Read more Arvid Lindblad: Just went overboard in the accident
“We know the track will develop enormously, even during the session itself. The most important thing is to anticipate grip in Q3 and be prepared for Q3. It’s no use being the best in practice if you’re not in qualifying,” said the team principal.
This was indeed a point many observers had already highlighted beforehand. Because although the track already offered a surprisingly high grip level on Friday, this will continue to increase over the coming days.
All corner types on one track
In addition, the setup will be anything but simple: the circuit combines all corner types – from extremely fast sections to slow parts – which makes finding the perfect compromise a real Herculean task for the engineers.
“It’s a challenge because you practically have all corner types of the entire season on one track. That’s a good exercise for the engineers, but in the end, it’s extremely difficult to assess how grip will change between FP3 and qualifying – and even during qualifying itself,” says Vasseur.
“That means energy management in the high-speed sectors becomes complicated, and I think the key lies in correctly forecasting the pace for Q3.”
Leclerc confident despite crash?
Since the walls stand extremely close and there is hardly any room for side-by-side overtaking, qualifying will take on an even more decisive role. The hope also rests on the drivers being able to make the difference.
The last 20 winners on new Formula 1 tracks
After his heavy crash in Monza, where forces of around 50 g acted on him, Leclerc is eager for redemption. It is no secret that the Monegasque has a special knack for street circuits. Together with Hamilton, who was less than half a tenth behind on Friday, he could be the decisive trump card to beat Kimi Antonelli.
“Yes, I think he always has great confidence on this type of track. I think he loves them and shows great performances here. But that was by no means a given after Monza. I am very satisfied,” adds Vasseur.
Read more Monza reveals the true picture: This is how Verstappen reacts to the ADUO result